Conflicts of Interest
by xxbirdy
Summary: Was this a bad idea? Probably. But all good things come with a risk.
1. Chapter 1

**chapter one.**

 _Mikan Sakura_

 **Name:** Mikan Sakura

 **Major:** Philosophy

 **Class Standing:** Junior Status

Mikan Sakura was the girl no one placed their bets on. She was a girl from a small, barely recognized village that had a small building that acted as a school during the day, and a town hall during the evening. She grew up without a lot of things: money, privilege… parents. So it wasn't odd that many from her hometown believed she would marry one of the local boys and contribute to the town's ongoing existence. It's what most girls from the town did, because the education wasn't really that renown and the most you could receive was a makeshift high school diploma which wasn't accepted much of anywhere. So, no. People didn't place their bets on her.

But they should have.

After graduated "middle school", Mikan skipped town. It was in the dead of the night just after she put the other kids in the orphanage to bed. It was a difficult decision for her to continue in that moment, as these were kids she grew up with and partially raised. And suddenly she was abandoning them? She couldn't truthfully say that she felt good about herself. But it was adamant that she go and make something of herself, so these kids could make something of themselves. Though they weren't forced to stay within the town, they weren't exactly raised with the belief that they could leave. After all, what would anyone want to do with a small-town, barely educated kid? That's right. Nothing.

But Mikan set out that night to prove that one small-town, barely educated kid could become someone society revered. Upon skipping town, Mikan entered the foster system in Tokyo and attended a public high school, where she learned of the opportunity in foreign countries. One of her classmates was bragging about how her brother had gotten accepted into a university and people couldn't stop sending him job offers, so Mikan did some digging and what she found was pure gold. It was the next step in her plan for success, and it started a fire within her that would soon engulf her and fuel her determination. What resulted shocked each and every one of her teachers.

That brings us to today: the first day of the Autumn Quarter. Mikan now is a junior at a beautiful campus in Boston, Massachusetts where she pursues a degree in Philosophy in hopes of getting accepted into the law school. If you were to ask her advisors and professors, they would say that she has a determination like no one else that they have seen, and they are already prepared to write splendid recommendation letters for her should she ask.

But that's jumping so far ahead, and what Mikan is worried about most is getting to her class on time. See, she knew accepting a clerkship at a local, renowned law firm would be adding stress onto her ever-growing pile, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity. She was recommended to this lawyer after her previous internship came to an end, and her boss didn't want to "see her potential fade", so she transferred her over to a friend of hers. His name? Anju L. Narumi. Mikan heard of him, of course, having heard of the crazy successful lawyer that could turn from a sweet, loving angel to a conniving devil in two seconds, but did she expect his workload to be so demanding? Not at all.

So now she is almost late to her very first class of the day, and it's when she comes barreling through the doors of the Philosophy Building, taking a sharp left, does her hopes of reaching the class before the bell rings come crashing down. Literally. She collides with what she knows is a person walking peacefully in the opposite direction, and all she can do is release a seemingly unholy gasp before both her and the stranger fall to the ground. Well, in all reality, it is only Mikan who goes falling to the ground. She luckily catches herself with her hands, saving her face from hitting the cold tile, but the same couldn't be said for her binder and all of the papers it contained. She looked back to make sure no one lay writing on the ground behind her, but rather finds that only she was the one who took the dangerous tumble to the ground.

Standing above her is a man of tall stature and of obviously strong build. Mikan imagines the collision was like being hit by a feather for him, which is probably why he is simply standing there, looking down onto her with indifferent eyes. For a moment Mikan is held by his gaze, shocked that there can even exist irises as red as his, but then she remembers just how late she is for class. Cursing, she collects her papers and apologized profusely even though _she_ was the only one that fell. "I'm _so_ sorry!"

Mikan stands, not even bothering to sift through her papers to properly put them in their rightful places. She simply shoves them into the pocket of her binder, and turns again to look at the man standing before her. He is saying nothing, and it makes her slightly nervous, but Mikan has never let her nerves get in the way before, so she has no intention of starting the habit now.

Looking at the clock in the hall, she finds that class has already begun, and she imagines the bell had rung sometime between the beginning of her descent and her hitting the ground. No matter, because she completely resigns to the fact that she hadn't made it in class on time and it doesn't matter how late she is so long as she still attends the class. She sticks out her hand in an apologetic manner, and holds a gaze with a deep sea of red as she tries to identify who she has encountered. After all, this _is_ her major department so she is practically there all the time. But she can't, for the life of her, ever recall meeting this person.

"Are you lost," she asks, out of the blue. And it's this question that finally spurs a response.

His voice is deep, and it seems to reverberate about the hallway perfectly. It catches Mikan completely off guard but, given his appearance—clean cut and a freshly pressed suit—she didn't know what she expected. "Why do you ask," he responds with a question of his own, reaching out to grip Mikan's hand with an unnecessary amount of strength. It doesn't hurt, though, it's just… shocking.

"I've been around this department for the past couple of quarters quite often," Mikan responds professionally. "I just feel like your face is not one I would forget."

A low hum rumbles throughout his chest, and he responds with a thoughtful, "Is that so."

"Well, yeah," Mikan says in a joking tone, releasing the stranger's hand, allowing her own to drop to her side. "I've seen what this university has to offer and let me just say: not that impressed."

Finally, she receives a chuckle from him and she can't help but feel that it's the most satisfying sound she's ever heard. "Are you divulging your sex life to a stranger?"

"Not so much my sex life as my habit for people-watching. Good guess, though."

Again, he hummed, looking at her thoughtfully before her turns to look at the clock. "Aren't you late for class," he asks, turning back to her. He offers a smirk when she curses and apologizes once more before excusing herself and racing down towards the lecture hall.

When she silently sneaks in the back and finds an empty seat in the back grow, an unrelenting blush bombards her cheeks as she recalls the conversation she just had.

 _What in the world got into me?_


	2. Chapter 2

**chapter two.**

 _Surprise, surprise_

The next day, Mikan is running through the halls again, this time at a slower pace and she is double checking the corners before taking them above the recommended speed. A part of her hopes she runs into the stranger again because, for the most part, she wasn't lying when she implied he had a face like no other. That, and she could use a little calm demeanor as the firm was hectic earlier that day and Mikan is _already_ behind in her notes. But, and it comes as no surprise, Mikan doesn't run into him that morning.

Rather, Mikan makes it in time for class. Not only does she make it in time, but she is early enough to get a seat in the front row and exchange a few words with her professor. Her professor is a small, elderly woman who has a knack for asking questions about the seemingly redundant. She could have the class talking for hours about the existence of a piece of fruit, which was indeed what she did the day before. But, as a philosophy major, Mikan found the conversation to be enticing. She enjoyed the idea of taking something so simple that we hardly ever thought about, and thinking about it in abstract ways. Because she then put that into the perspective of law and could proceed with arguments no one would ever think of formulating. This is why her professors believe she would someday be the best of the best.

Anyways, Mikan talks to her professor for a couple of minutes before the bell rings and the last of the students file in. Professor Langley begins with talking about law, as this course is indeed about law and not fruit. She also makes a strange announcement. "Rather than diving into the material," she states, "I've invited a former student of mine to discuss philosophy in law based on experience. That will take up about the latter half of the class, so for now we will precede the presentation by talking about the word _interpretation_."

The conversation was long, and to some it was grueling, but Mikan continuously took notes as she felt her eyes light up at the subject. This was what Mikan lived for, and she wanted to scream when the double door opened and subsequently shut in a loud manner, enough to bring her professor to a screeching halt.

"You're early," Professor Langley says, and Mikan assumes that it is the guest speaker that is walking slowly down the lecture hall stairs. For a while Mikan doesn't turn around, she simply looks over her notes and circles terms she should probably make flashcards out of, but it's when she hears the guest speaker reach the bottom level that she receives the feeling of someone staring directly at her, so she looks up and almost chokes.

It's him. That guy from yesterday. He smirks when she makes eye contact with him, almost as if he knew she was going to be in that specific class, and he approaches the professor. Professor Langley pats him on the shoulder even though she is roughly about half of his size, and he greets her politely with a singular nod. Professor Langley then goes on to introduce him to the class, but even though the professor is looking at the entire class, _he_ isn't. He is looking at Mikan, and Mikan tries not to let a blush creep up onto her face but she can only hold her breath for so long.

Natusme Hyuuga was his name, and he was a remarkable prosecutor in the area, so remarkable that the government had requested his services on several occasions. But, not being one who took a single political science course, _Mr. Hyuuga_ declined every single offer. Heck, if Mikan looks past who this guy is, she knows she would see the epitome of success but she just couldn't get what she said to him the day before out of her head. And, from the looks of it, neither could he.

Mr. Hyuuga looks like he is having the time of his life, watching Mikan squirm under his gaze. Fear and embarrassment was radiating from the poor girl and all she wants to do is run from the lecture hall and never return. But she doesn't because she knows if she can just survive these last thirty minutes, she will never have to see him again. That is, unless her professor invites him back again which wouldn't be very often… Mikan hopes.

And so, the lecture continued and no one suspected a thing, not that they would have any reason to. Mr. Hyuuga talked about the education she received, the jobs that he had done previous to his current position which was partner at a firm in New York— _so he's not from around here,_ Mikan thought to herself. At some point during his presentation, Mikan stopped seeing him for who he was but for what he had done, and the change in her demeanor made that obvious. No longer was she trying to hide from his penetrating gaze, but rather she leaned forward and soaked in every word.

The bell sounds before Mikan is ready to let go of such an intriguing presentation, but she begins to put her things away regardless. She plans to go straight to the library and study until her next class, but she is stopped when Professor Langley calls out to her. Mikan freezes, knowing exactly what is coming.

"Natsume, I would like to introduce you to my _best_ student!" Professor Langley beckons Mikan over and, in an awkward fashion, Mikan grabs hold of _Mr. Hyuuga's_ hand and shakes it. Again, she feels him squeeze her hand a little bit more than necessary but this time she knows that it is no accident. Professor Langley continues, not realizing the way Mikan looks everywhere but at Mr. Hyuuga, and Mr. Hyuuga _only_ looks at Mikan. "Natsume here is looking for a student to help out at a project he is starting here at Boston and, Mikan, you were the first to pop into my mind. I can't offer this opportunity to anyone else but you!"

Mikan swallows. "Oh," she stammers, "Well I—"

"I know, I know, you already have something working out for you in the mornings, but I think that's something you and Natsume should discuss. After all, it's all about building that resume."

"Yes," Mr. Hyuuga responds in a way that is anything but unambiguous. "And a recommendation isn't out of question." _Is it getting hot in here_ , Mikan thought to herself. "Think about it. My office is right beside Karen's, and I will be there long after the department closes."

For what seems like far too long, Mikan looks into Mr. Hyuuga's eyes and holds them. Rather, he holds hers with an unspoken conversation in which he is inviting her to make her move. He won't push it, that much is becoming obvious, so he is leaving the decision-making power up to Mikan. But before Mikan can even decide whether she should accept or not, Mr. Hyuuga backs away, looking at his watch, and announces to his audience of two that he has a conference call he has to make. He turns to Mikan and nods, saying, "I hope you will drop by later today. I do want only the best of the best."

Professor Langley bubbles with excitement, but Mikan knows exactly what Mr. Hyuuga meant by _want_ and it hadn't anything to do with the area of professionalism.

Just like she had promised herself, Mikan finds herself in the library making flashcards of the words she had indicated earlier, but her mind most obviously travels elsewhere when it finds even a second of freedom to spare. Her mind draws pictures of _Mr. Hyuuga's_ intentions, of his eyes digging sensual holes into her skin. She imagines his warm breath on her body, sending chills down her spine. She pictures his strong arms holding her, his perfect build molded against her, his—

 _Enough._

Mikan closes her book so aggressively that some look up in concern. She pays no heed to them as she shoves all her books into her backpack and sets her sights on the Philosophy Department. She needs to stop this once and for all: the inappropriate images, the subliminal messages exchanged _right in front of her professor_ —even thought that was just once but once is more than enough. But, more importantly, she wants to reclaim her dignity. Never has she thought of such misconduct, and never before has she been _okay_ with such misconduct. No. This isn't her. The girl that is going to demand professionalism is her.

The Philosophy Department isn't too far from the library—which Mikan thought was a great accidental advantage—so she finds herself entering the stairway before she has even processed what she wants to say. She's on the second floor before she can regain her confidence. She is at his door before she decides whether she wants to do this right now. She could just stop by the next day, after she has discussed everything with her roommate who already knows of the encounter she had with Mr. Hyuuga _before_ she knew he was Mr. Hyuuga. But by the time she begins to consider this option, the door is opening and another fateful collision almost happens.

Mr. Hyuuga catches himself by grasping the doorframe, and Mikan can see that it doesn't register to him that it's her until a couple of seconds pass. When his eyes settle and visibly soften, that's when she knows that he's gotten the wrong idea.

He begins to move aside when Mikan stammers out, "I can't work on the project with you." She says it loud enough in case any other advisors or professors are still in their offices. Of course, she checked on her way in and found no one, their offices all dark for the rest of the day, but just to be sure. "I already have a previous commitment and—"

"Previous commitment," Mr. Hyuuga repeats thoughtfully. "Wasn't it you that said—"

"With Mr. Narumi at his law firm. In the mornings… like Professor Langley said..." Mikan trails off because she knows Mr. Hyuuga isn't buying it even though it's the truth. That and her clerkship has nothing to do with what he his invitation. Mikan takes this moment to lean in and whisper, "You should just—you know—forget about what I said yesterday. Mr. Hyuuga." She adds the last term as a sign that he is indeed her superior and she isn't the type to do… _this_.

Mr. Hyuuga nods, and leans against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "Natsume will do." Mikan scowls. Is he missing the point? "And I will forget each and every word."

"Right," Mikan responds stiffly. "Thank you."

"In fact," he stated thoughtfully. "We can forget ever meeting."

Mikan hesitates. "We can, yes."

 _There he goes again with the humming_ , Mikan observes as she looks up and into his eyes. She always makes a mistake when she does this, especially now that his eyes seem to be expressing the exact opposite of what he had said. Her knees grew weak almost instantly, and all bets were off the table in that moment.

Suddenly he leans forward, and Mikan's eyes dart up and down the hall and finding no one. His lips stop just beside her ear, causing her face to warm. "If that is what you want, why aren't you leaving?"

And such is the story. That is the story of how Mikan's entire resolve was compromised, ending with her looking into Natsume's eyes with the kind of determination that intimidated him. He grabbed onto her hips and, with her, backed into his office as Mikan made him promise:

"I was _never_ here."

If you were to look closely, you would see the smallest of smiles adorn Natsume's lips just before slanting them over Mikan's, saying,

"Yes, ma'am."

 **Was that rushed? I think that was rushed. But its too late, and I will add much more love and care to the sequel! Yes, that's right, there is going to be a sequel! I actually thought of the sequel first, but I needed to get this out first so you had all the information on how they met.**

 **Anyways, I'm not sure what it will be called but I will indicate in the summary that it is the sequel to this one.**

 **Thanks for reading, my lovelies, and I will speak to you soon.**


End file.
